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The four cornered track at Terre Haute, Indiana. An old postcard but that is all I know about it. Let me know if you have any more info on the track.
| From: | angela collins | (Mon May 28 17:29:18 2007) |
| i was born and raised in terre haute, and i never knew they had a race track. i find it very interesting. i am going to have to see if i can find out more info, thanks for sharing your wonderful photos. | ||
| From: | Topdog | (Sun Feb 10 18:49:42 2008) |
| I believe this was part of the Ijams farm and the track is the same as the current oval track at the fairgrounds. The Ijams farm covered that area as well as where HC Mall is and across to the Holiday Inn. | ||
| From: | Topdog | (Sun Feb 10 19:31:32 2008) |
| I incorrectly stated that the track was located where the current fairgrounds and track are. Actually it was located on the old agricultural fairgrounds where the current ISU stadium stands at US 40 (Wabash Ave.) and Brown. | ||
| From: | brisray | (Fri Jul 18 03:24:27 2008) |
| The land was originally used as the site of the Indiana State Fair held in Terre Haute in 1867 and at that time had a 1/2 mile racing track. Owned by Vigo County Agricultural Association, president Uriah Jeffers, and designed by surveyor-engineer George Grimes, the track was completed in 1887. | ||
| From: | brisray | (Fri Jul 18 03:25:31 2008) |
| It cost $5,695 and was situated on 47 acres of land donated by William Riley McKeen at Brown and Wabash Avenues, where the ISU stadium is now. Originally a mile long, the track was reduced to one-half mile in 1910. In 1924 Terre Haute's Memorial Stadium was built on the site. | ||
| From: | brisray | (Fri Jul 18 03:27:27 2008) |
| Around 20 world trotting records were set at the track. Axtell (1886-1906) and Axworthy (1892-1917) were among the most famous trotters of their time. Axtell set the mile record for trotters at 2:12 on October 11, 1889 at the track. | ||
| From: | brisray | (Fri Jul 18 03:28:48 2008) |
| At the time he set the record, he was owned and driven by C.W. Williams of Independence, Iowa. After the race, he was purchased by a syndicate headed by William Putnam Ijams and John Conley for $105,000, $30,000 more than had ever been paid for any horse of any kind. | ||
| From: | brisray | (Fri Jul 18 03:29:56 2008) |
| Thereafter, he was maintained at Warren Park Farm in Terre Haute until he died in 1906. For many years, an oil portrait of Axtell hung in the lobby of the Terre Haute House. Axtell sired Axworthy, who subsequently sired 59 stallions | ||
| From: | brisray | (Fri Jul 18 03:30:49 2008) |
| 26 of these would better 2:10 in the mile and two would surpass 2:05. Other records at the track were broken by Mascot and Nancy Hanks. | ||
| From: | brisray | (Fri Jul 18 04:00:52 2008) |
| There are at least 3 other postcards of the track, but all, including this one, are based on the same b/w photo. S. H. Knox & Co. of New York published at least two versions of the postcard. That company folded in 1911 and the earliest postmark I’ve seen on any of these postcards is 1910. | ||
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